Draft appliance



Jan. 18, 1944. .1.- 1.. BREESE DRAFT APPLI-ANCE 1 Filed March 9 Inventor Patented Jan. 18, 1944 DRAFT, APPLIANCE James L. Breese, Santa Fe, N.Mex., assignor to Oil Devices, Santa Fe, N. Mex., a limited partnership or Illinois Application March 9, 1940, Serial No. 323,057

Y 8 Claims. (01.126-290) My invention relates to an improvement in means for starting. pot type burners.

One purpose is the provision of an accessible inlet through which matches or other igniting means may be projected or inserted.

Another purpose is the provision of meansfor automatically closing the inlet after the match has been inserted.

Another purpose is the provision of means for automatically closing the aperture in response to increasing the heat of combustion in the pot.

Another purpose is the provision of means for providing an excess supply of air at the initiation of combustion.

- Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a vertical axial section through a pot embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2is a section on an enlarged scale along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of part of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the closure in open position;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, illustrating the closure in both open and closed the closing operation; and I Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5, of a variant form of the device.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawing.

Referring to the drawing, I generally indicates any'suitable pot wall, herein shown as generally cylindrical. It may be of sheet metal and is provided with a slightly concave bottom 2.- 3.

indicates any suitable oil inlet. 4 indicates a plurality of primary air inlets located at various levels. Secondary air supply may be admitted above the primary air holes, as by the upwardly tilted and more closely spaced secondary air inlets 5. It will be understood, of course, that the details of the burner do not of themselves form part of the present invention and are herein disclosed primarily for purpose. of illustration.

I may employ also a pilot baflle 6, having a central aperture 1 adapted to divide the space within the pot into an upper and a lower chamher, the lower chamber being the combustion chamber for the pilot or low tumdown stage of combustion. I.preferably, but not necessarily. employ such a pilot baflle 6, and in such case find it preferable to provide. a match or igniting inlet]! in the pot at a lower level than the pilot baflle 8.

In the form of Figs. 1 to 5 I illustrate as surrounding the pot aperture 8 an inlet passage member having a roughly cylindrical portion 9 and a flange I0 abutting against the outer face of the pot and having, for example, ears I which may be bolted, spot welded, or otherwise secured to the outer face of the pot. It will be understood that little, if any, air leakage is permitted between the flange l0 and the opposed wallof the pot. An upper extension l2 of the flange It is employed, which'may have outwardly extending ears I3, through which'may pass any' suitable pivoted pin [4, on which is pivoted a lid or closure member it, having a finger or thumb engageable outward extension I6. It will be observed that when the lid I5 is in closed position, as in the full line disclosure in Fig. 4,

it abuts against an inwardly extending flange II, which defines the outer end of the cylindrical passage 9.- Preferably this flange I1 is somewhat inclined from the vertical, as shown for example in Figs. 1, 4 and 5: The parts are so proportioned that a snug fit is obtained when the closure 15 falls or is moved to the full line position of Fig. 4. The inclined arrangement of the flange ll insures that the closure will be carried by gravity to the closing-position once it passes over center.

In order to provide an automatic movement of the member 15 to closed position, I provide a bimetallicstrip or warping member having a portion 20, which may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the outer face of the closure iii. In order to obtain an increase in the length of this member and thus increase its flexure in response to heat, I'may move it around the pin 14 as at 2|, carrying its outer end 22 upwardly along and fairly snugly against the outside of the closure 15, as shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 4. When .the burner is cold, the closure I5, may be raised by the finger to. the dotted line position of Fig. 4, where, being over center, it will rest by gravity against the outer face of the pot I.

It will be understood that the loop 2| is not sufiiciently snug in its engagement with the pin l4 to prevent pivotal movement with the closure Hi. In fact, it may be preferable to have no direct engagement at all. In any event, in the use of the device the operator merely lifts the member l5 to the dotted line position of Fig.4 and then inserts a lighted match or any other suitable igniting means. The match serves as a species'of temporary wick for vaporizing and lighting a,

The parts may be so proportioned that there is-an initial delay during which an excess supply of air may flow in through the aperture 8. How

ever, very shortly after the ignition of the fuel within the'pot, increasing heat moves the closure l5 to closed position, and through the aperture 8 then passes no further air, and the holes I and 5 are properly proportioned to handle normal combustion conditions within the pot.

Fig. 6 illustrates a variant in which-the aperture 8 may be closed by the bimetallic strip or warping bar 30, herein shown as secured to the exterior of the pot. The bar is so proportioned that when the pot is cold it warps into the full line position in which it is shown in Fig. 6. This leaves the aperture 8 available for the' introduction of a match or any other igniting means. In response to the heat of combustion the bar 30 warps to its normal dotted line or closed position, and no further air is thereafter admitted through the aperture 8.

It will be realized that whereas I have de scribed and illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim:

1. In combination with a burner wall, an air inlet member in said wall, and an automatic" rotationabout a horizontal axis locatedabove said inlet member, said door when in open p tion being gravitally supported over center, and heat responsive means formoving it over center and for thereby causing it to fall by gravityinto closed position in relation to said inlet including a bimetallic strip mounted on the door and interposed between the door and the burner wall.

5. A heat-responsive draft-regulating .device for an air-admitting opening in an orchard heater, said draft-regulating device comprising: a draft-regulating plate adapted to be pivotally I mounted adjacent said opening, said plate being movable between a first position afiording relatively free passage of air through said opening and a second position restricting the passage of air through said opening, said plate in moving between said positions passing through an intermediate position, said plate being gravity biased toward said first position when it is between said first position and said intermediate position and being gravity biased toward said second position when it is between said intermediate position and said second position; and a bimetallic element operatively associated with said plate and disposed in heat-receiving relation to said heater and operable when heated to cause said plate to move from its first position to and through said intermediate position.

6. A heat-responsive draft-regulating device for an air-admitting opening in an orchard heater, said draft-regulating device comprising: a draft-regu ating plate adapted to be pivotally mounted adjapent said opening, said plate being movable between a first position affording relatively free passage of air through said opening and a second position restricting the passage of air through said opening, 'said platein mova ing between said positions passing through an closure therefor includinga door hinged for ro-,

tation about a horizontal axis located above said inlet member, said door when in open position being gravitally supported over center, and heat responsive means for moving it over center and for thereby causing it to fall by gravity into closed position in relation to said inlet.

2. In combination with a burner wall, an air inlet member in said wall, and an automatic closure therefor including a door hinged for rotation about a horizontal axis located above said inlet member, said door when in open position being gravitally supported over center, and heat responsive means mounted on the door for moving it over center and for thereby causing it to fall by gravity into closed position in relation to said inlet.

3. In combination with a burner wall, an air inlet member in said wall, and an automatic closure therefor including a door hinged for rotaintermediate position, said plate being gravity biased toward said first position when it is between said first position and said intermediate position and being gravity biased toward said second position when it is between said intermediate position and said second position; and

a bimetallic element operatively associated with said plate and disposed in heat-receiving relation to said heater and operable when heated to move said plate against gravity from its first position to its intermediate position where it may fall freely with the aid of gravity to its second position.

7. A heat-responsive draft-regulating device for an air-admitting opening in a heater, said draft-regulating device comprising: a-draft-regulating plate adapted to be pivotally mounted adjacent said opening, said plate being movable between a first position affording relatively free passage of air through said opening and a second position restricting the passage of air through-saidopening, said plate in moving between said positions passing through an intermediate position, said plate being gravity biased.

toward said first position when" it is between said first position and said intermediate position and being gravity biased toward said second position when it is between said intermediate position and ,said second position; and a bimetallic element operatively associated with said plate draft-regulating device comprising: a draftregulating plate adapted to be pivotally mounted adjacent said opening, said plate being movable between a first position afiording relatively free passage of air through said opening and a second position restricting the passage of air through said opening, said plate in moving between said positions passing through an intermediate position, said plate being gravity biased toward said first position when it is between saidfirst position and said intermediate position and being gravity biased toward said second position when it is between said intermediate position and said second position; and a bimetallic element operatively associated with said plate and disposed in heat-receiving relation to said heater and operable when heated to move said plate against gravity from its first position to its intermediate position where it may fall freely with the aid of gravity to its second position.

JAMES L. BREESE. 

